Vukodlak's Cathedral of Flesh
Vukodlak's Cathedral of Flesh is the final stage of the video-game Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption, where the methuselah Vukodlak awaits Christof Romuald for their final showdown in the bowels of New York City. Although Vukodlak's Cathedral could easily be part of the Tzimisce Antediluvian's body, it is unlikely that either of them is meant to be Yorak's original Cathedral of Flesh. Additionally, the details of Redemption's canon are frequently at odds with the established the Classic World of Darkness — although the game's protagonist Christof Romuald does appear elsewhere in Vampire canon, suggesting that at least the essential elements of the game's storyline are canonical. History Vukodlak was deemed rebellious and a traitor to the will of the Council of Voivodes and was persecuted relentlessly by the Voivodes. He intended to accumulate an immeasurable amount of power that could be utilized for the consuming of the Antediluvians, the mythical founders of the thirteen vampire Clans. It was prophesized that the Antediluvians would be beckoned by some mystical force to rise from their torpid states and eradicate their progeny: each and every Cainite. This dreaded apocalyptical day is called Gehenna and much contemplation from many wise vampires about this doomsday is contained in the Book of Nod. This plan that Vukodlak conceived, was deemed blasphemous and dangerous to both the Voivodes and the entire clan Tzimisce. The Voivodes moved swiftly and purged Vukodlak from the ancestral lands of the Tzimisce, where the original Cathedral of Flesh is established and constructed. Vukodlak was placed in deep Torpor and the remainder of his loyal servants fled from the wrath of the Voivodes. Those servants took their dreaded lord along with them in a desperate flight evermore endeavoring to reawaken Vukodlak. At first they managed to conceal themselves within Vysehrad Castle located near the township of Prague. After a bloody battle ensued caused by the grievances and struggles between the various clans of Prague and after Vysehrad Castle was being set ablaze by the furious mortals of Prague, Vukodlak fled once more. Due to sabotage within his entourage of followers and having to suffer many failed attempts at resurrecting Vukodlak, Vukodlak decided to move to the New World, where the Tzimisce of Europe will longer hunt and haunt him. This vast undertaking took centuries and it meant the procrastination of any attempt at removing the curse of the Voivodes that kept him in Torpor. Due to the clan curse of clan Tzimisce, they had to relocate vast amounts of native soil otherwise they could not slip into a recuperative dormant state or even revel in their powers as they would in their ancestral lands. The Setites offered their cargo-ships for the shipping of native soil and the Giovanni aided in the concealment of these shipments. The gargantuan new Cathedral of Flesh consisted of the bodies of many hundreds, if not thousands of mortals and ghouls. Vukodlak took up residence in his new Cathedral of Flesh, eagerly awaiting the dawn of the new millennium. He would rise and bring about the destruction of the Third Generation, he would devour at long last the Antediluvians. Characteristics This Cathedral of Flesh was located in the city of New York. Within the lower levels of a desecrated church, limestone was subtly replaced by a more carnal form of building material, mortar transformed into blood, bones formed the paneling. The pedestrians of New York could see the ruins of the church. But they were blissfully ignorant of the existence of the Cathedral of Flesh. Should one descend down the stairs and into the earth, once would eventually see the ship of a church. Beset with szlachta, war-ghouls and even a Vozhd there is but little chance at gaining access to the lower levels, to the actual Cathedral of Flesh. Should one survive the guardians, one would walk in the Cathedral of Flesh. Pillars consisted of bodies, banners of entrails, walls of skeletons, floors of bellies, roofs of decomposition. Even more guards can be encountered, sounds of flesh and agony could be heard and the smell must be indescribable. Finally one would reach the most inner sanctum, a tomb. Within this tomb the two most notable features: an ancient sarcophagus containing the body of Vukodlak and a gigantic circular window, glowing with a ghastly red light. The very bowels or foundation of the Cathedral of Flesh consist of deep rivers of blood, vast walls of corpses, pillars resembling veins and everything seemed to resemble the insides of a human being, occasionally there was some form of twisted architecture. Also there is a mysterious alcove containing the memories of Anezka, a nun ghouled by Vukodlak himself. Gallery Cathedral_of_Vukodlak_01.png|Vukodlak's demesne, the Cathedral of Flesh of New York City Cathedral_of_Vukodlak_02.png|Cathedral altar, as depicted in the game Cathedral_of_Vukodlak_03.png|Cathedral altar, as depicted in the game Cathedral_of_Vukodlak_04.png|A nerve cluster inside the Cathedral, telling the story of Anezka Cathedral_of_Vukodlak_05.png|Libussa meets the characters within the Cathedral bowels Vukodlak_Vozhd.jpg|A Vozhd that guards Vukodlak's Cathedral Cathedral_of_Vukodlak_07.png|Vukodlak prepares himself for the final battle References *Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption Category:Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption